What Awaits Us Now
by WackyWisher
Summary: Just a simple one shot. It came upon me while watchin an episode of INuyasha. Enjoy it and please review!


It was over. Finally after four long years, it was over.  
  
Kagome fell to her knees as all strength left her body. She looked about the destruction around her, before her eyes rested on the small pink jewel laying mere inches from her.  
  
It had been what they had sought after for so long. The Shikon No Tama, in it's entirety. Kagome reached out with a shaking hand as she came to hold it in her bloodied palm. It glowed softly pink in her hand, and a small but triumphant smile found it's way to her lips.  
  
The sky above her was a crisp blue, not a cloud there. Kagome looked heavenward, and closed eyes as she made a silent prayer of thanks that her friend's were all safe. Nearby she knew Miroku was still staring at his right hand, the hole that once threatened to consume him was gone, with out a trace. She could here Sango praying for her fallen brother, but thankful his soul finally rested in peace. And then there was Inuyasha.  
  
Someone came to stand behind her, the warmth from their body reaching out to her. She shivered, and clutched the jewel in her hand, holding it over her heart as it began to race.  
  
"Are you all right, Kagome?," He asked her. His voice was full of concern, and it caused her eyes to brim with tears of joy.  
  
"I'm peachy," She replied. The hanyou behind her came and knelt beside her, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. He was watching her with those intense eyes of his, emotions he once kept hidden swam across his amber depths.  
  
"I'm glad…," He trailed off, as he met her eyes. The faintest of smiles on his lips. "Well, it's finally over," He announced. Kagome let out a sigh of relief, letting her tense and tired muscles relax. Naraku was dead. The Shikon No Tama complete. And things were finally looking up.  
  
Inuyasha patted her shoulder before he got up and traveled to check on their other companions. She heard him asking Miroku if he was all right, the monk replying he was thankful to be free and alive. Inuyasha was silent as he came to sit next to the grieving demon huntress.  
  
Kagome found a new strength and forced herself to stand, though a bit wobbly as she turned to gaze at the destruction. A large smoking crater was all that was left of the infamous Naraku. Kagome closed her eyes again, giving a small prayer that he find peace where he was. She almost felt bad for him, like she did for every demon they had slain in their journey's. She thought of him as a simple misguided man, how knew not the power of his own desires. She sighed and walked over to Inuyasha. Miroku joining her. Then they sat there, silently in reflection.  
  
Kagome broke the silence with a small chuckle.  
  
"I suppose we should go inform Shippo that Naraku has been defeated," Kagome said. She smiled as she thought of the young kitsune they had left behind in the village with Kaede. They had to seal him in a hut, so he was not to follow the group.  
  
"I guess you're right. Though I don't see why we can't just leave him there," Inuyasha said, but Kagome saw that joking smirk on his face, and didn't bother to scold him.  
  
The village had been awaiting the return of the travelers, and a loud cheer was let out when the Heroes who had defeated Naraku returned triumphant. Shippo all but latched himself to Kagome after he had been free of the hut. And he stayed latched to her through out the large celebration that ensued as the villagers held a banquet.  
  
Later in the evening, the party was still going when Inuyasha made a silent exit. Of course Kagome had been first to notice, and detached Shippo from herself and left him with Sango as she went to investigate.  
  
She found him in the middle of the well clearing, sitting on the well's edge, just gazing into it's depths. She just watched him sadly, he seemed to be thinking. Then her miko senses alerted her to an approaching power. Inuyasha noticed to looking, but he didn't move, and neither did Kagome as she saw the long silver body of a soul collector makes it's way into the clearing.  
  
Kagome's heart clenched in her chest as she laid eyes on the undead priestess. There was no doubt in her mind that she came to claim Inuyasha's debt. Kagome also knew, there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.  
  
"Inuyasha, I see you have defeated Naraku," Kikyo spoke slowly and deliberately. Inuyasha didn't acknowledge her, as he turned to look back down at the well. Kagome smiled, as Kikyo frowned.  
  
"You have taken your revenge, and now you are to come to hell with me. Like you promised," She said, watching him with her cold brown eyes. Inuyasha let out a sigh, slowly lifting his amber gaze to her.  
  
"I know," He began. "I know that I promised you revenge, and I said I would go to hell with you if fate should bring it to that". He rose to his feet and stepped towards the silent priestess. He reached out to her and placed his clawed hands on her shoulders.  
  
"I own your life, Inuyasha," Was all Kikyo said. Inuyasha shook his head.  
  
"No Kikyo you don't. You aren't entitled to it, because you died. You died fifty four years ago," He told her. Kikyo slapped away his hands, and took a step back. Her eye shone with something undefined.  
  
"But I was brought back again in this body. I may not be flesh and blood but-". Inuyasha stopped her by shaking his head. He looked at her with determined eyes.  
  
"You are not real. It took me so long to realize this. After all the times I ran to you, every time you came. I saw you and my heart would beat faster, and I'd wish only to hold you. But then as I held you, and then most of all when I kissed you, I realized. No living body cold be so cold. You are not here, you are cold and lifeless, with only souls and that small bit of Kagome's soul keeping you alive," He stopped and looked her straight in the eyes. Kikyo seemed unnerved.  
  
"Kikyo died long ago. Then her soul was reincarnated, into Kagome". Kikyo shook visibly with anger, and clenched her fist at her side.  
  
"So, you have fallen in love with her. This reincarnate," She seethed. Inuyasha looked up at the stars, letting the smallest sigh escape his mouth.  
  
"I don't know. But Kikyo, I do care for her. And I hate that look she gets every time she knows I've been to see you. I don't want to hurt her anymore, and I don't want to ever see that sad face again," He replied quietly. Kikyo closed her eyes for a moment, and let her rage calm.  
  
"I see," She said. She raised a hand to her face, and rested it there to hide it from view. She hated that she could not cry, because at that moment it was all she wanted to do.  
  
"I don't know what I can say to you that will help you to understand," Inuyasha continued. "But I know that I can not, and will not go to hell with you. I have avenged you death, I just hope that is enough for you".  
  
Kagome blinked back tears. He cared for her, and he wanted to stay with her. She was overjoyed, but still she had a deep fear Kikyo would not except his answer. But as she watched, she noticed the defeated slump in the priestess' shoulders.  
  
"Inuyasha…," Kikyo swallowed. She let her hand fall from her face as she looked into his amber depths. "I can not shed any tears".  
  
Kikyo reached out, and stroked Inuyasha's cheek with her cold hand. He leaned into it for a moment, and then pulled her into an embrace.  
  
"Kikyo…," Inuyasha breathed. He hated the way she sounded so broken. She wrapped her arms around him slowly, and rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I can not shed any tears… not for you, and not for others, and not even myself. I am incapable, because what you say is true. I am dead, just a wandering spirit. I wish I could cry, I want to. I want to cry for you and show you that I care. Just like her. She's cried so many tears for you". Kikyo's voice shook with grief and frustration. She knew the truth, she had for so long. Inuyasha loved another. He had moved on, the only thing keeping him to her was his vow to protect and avenge her.  
  
"Why is it, that she cares so much. When I was alive, I loved you. But I did not shed a tear for you. I didn't cry then, I believe that perhaps I was incapable then as well. This girl, she loves you. More then even I did. That is of course because she accepts you as a hanyou. I couldn't do that, it was against my belief. I'm sorry… I really am," She let out a dry sob, clenching her fists in Inuyasha's red haori jacket. Inuyasha felt a tug in his chest.  
  
"Kikyo you can't help what you were brought up to believe. I wanted to become human for you. I wanted to live my life by your side, and help rid you of your duty to the Shikon jewel. I didn't think once that you didn't except me," He told her. Kikyo nodded into his shoulder, and then she back away from him, giving him a sad smile.  
  
"I loved you, and then again I couldn't trust you, in the end that's why Naraku tricked us so easily. Inuyasha please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you like I have," She said pleadingly. Inuyasha just smiled at her, he felt a great weight lifting from his spirit. He knew she would let him live, and he found peace in that.  
  
"You were forgiven a long time ago," He said quietly. Kikyo smiled then, a genuine smile.  
  
"Then I can rest in peace," She told him. Inuyasha watched then as the soul collectors wrapped around her, and she lifted into the air. Around her a bright light formed as souls exited her body shouting off into all directions. Inuyasha closed his eyes against the light, and then suddenly everything plummeted into darkness.  
  
When Inuyasha opened his eyes he saw no trace of Kikyo. He looked to the sky a sad smile on his lips, as he prayed for her to find peace. Then he sighed and started back to the village. He leapt into the trees and hurried off, he wanted to find Kagome. He wanted to finally tell her, what he really felt.  
  
Kagome sat on the ground beneath a tree, clutching her chest. Her soul was complete again, and she wondered why a deep pain thundered with in her chest. She took a deep shaky breath, and rose to her feet. She stumbled into the clearing Inuyasha had just left, and then collapsed beside the well. She wiped the tears of pain from her eyes, and clutched on to the well's sides as the pain stirred in her chest.  
  
"W-why does it hurt," She asked to no one, clenching her teeth. The world around her started to spin, and then everything went black.  
  
Inuyasha arrived back at the village to see the celebration was still in full swing. He looked to the guests of honors, and only found Miroku, Sango and Shippo sitting there. He approached them.  
  
"Where is Kagome?," He asked. Sango looked up at him, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"She went to look for you," She told him. Inuyasha blinked, and then turned to Miroku, who looked back at him with a cheeky grin.  
  
"Are you drunk?," He asked the monk. Miroku simply chuckled happily, and took another drink from his cup. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes before he turned back to Sango.  
  
"Did she follow me?," He asked. Sango nodded. Inuyasha sighed and then took off back the same way he'd just come.  
  
He found her collapsed beside the well. She was considerably pale, but still breathing. Inuyasha rushed to her side and clutched her tightly in an embrace.  
  
"What the hell happened?," He asked. He sat beside the well and pulled her into his lap, he rested her head against his shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm. He wanted to know what happened, but he could figure that from her state she had probably just fainted. He wondered if she had seen him talk with Kikyo, did she think he was going back to her? Did she faint before she got to the well to go home? Was she mad at him again?  
  
Theses thoughts flooded his mind, and he became worried that perhaps Kagome was mad at him. Maybe she had had enough of him. He looked at her face, and reached up to push a stray raven lock from her cheek. He rested his palm there, and stroked it gently. It was then she stirred, with a gasp of air. Her eye shot open to meet his and tears sudden brimmed in her eyes.  
  
"Inu… Inuyasha," She breathed, blinking her eyes. He just stared back, his hand still resting against her cheek.  
  
"Kikyo is gone. She isn't ever coming back," He said. Kagome smiled sadly, and nodded. She lifted her head from his shoulder, and he left his hand slip from her cheek, to wrap around her again.  
  
"I, I know. I saw," She told him. She didn't met his gaze as she said this, and instead reached up to clutched her chest, a flicker of pain crossing her face.  
  
"My soul is complete again. It hurt so bad when it came back. I passed out," She told him. Inuyasha gave a sigh of relief, and then grasped her chin in his hand, and lifted her face so to look in her eyes.  
  
"I've wanted for so long…," He stopped though. He saw the tears in her eyes, and quickly wiped them away as they fell. "Please, don't cry," He pleaded. Kagome nodded, but still tears formed and fell down her cheeks.  
  
"Kagome… I don't want you to cry. Please, just be happy," He begged her. Kagome looked away from him, and to the sky.  
  
"I can't help it. I don't want to cry, but the tears just keep coming," She told him meekly. Inuyasha wiped some from her damp cheeks, and then drew her attention again by turning her face to his.  
  
"Kagome… I've waited so long. I've wanted so long to tell you-," He stopped again. He gazed into her brown eyes, and then he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. It was quick, but still Kagome felt a tingle on her lips, and a deep longing in her heart and soul.  
  
"Inuyasha, what… what are you doing?," She asked him quietly. He searched her eyes, and then smiled.  
  
"Your so warm," He said to her. Then he leaned forward again. This kiss was deep, and lasted longer, it was not as brief or uncertain as the first. It made her soul soar, and stomach fill with butterflies. Kagome pulled back and looked at him uncertainly, but he just sighed gazing into her eyes once more as a gentle smile graced his lips.  
  
" I love you so much, it's pathetic". 


End file.
